ThisIsMyFirstRodeo

Fred, thank you for that input. I do plan on using the same holes as they are still quite strong. At this point, I’m rethinking the stitches. I was using round lace and a unique stitch that just came natural (no clue what name it might have, perhaps a variation of a lock stitch). This time, I’m either going back to tiger thread/saddle stitch, but I also just had the wild hair of using wire instead, or possibly split rings intertwined through similar to chain mail. Prolly bad ideas… Diesel, I do wet form my sheaths. This particular blade is about 12” (I actually used it as one of my primary knives, back when I used to work the line), and the sheath itself about 15” long, which is why it’s floppy. The mouth of the sheath does have a tight form to the handle. Have to shake it fairly hard for it to fall out. Still learning how to harden leather. The integrity of smaller pieces and lighter weight leather is good, but I have only had mixed/mediocre results on larger pieces. Still have a lot of learning curve left. But thank you for your input. I plan to skive it down some and probably wet form and bake. 1st Rodeo

So I made a sheath with 10-12oz, and a welt the same. It all stitched together beautifully, and is one of my better pieces on the learning curve. But here’s the issue: The welt is thick enough that the blade can rattle freely inside, and there’s most likely enough capability of compression to compromise the stitching. Yes, I should have skived (1 v or 2?) to match the spine of the blade. So question: I just cut the stitching so I can address and redo, but should I skive the welt or the sheath? Or both? TIA, 1st Rodeo

Perhaps I’m wrong, but most hobbyists don’t seem to need to make more than a handful of sheaths. While I don’t by any means specialize in sheaths or scabbards, I tend to stick in that groove. But, my beginner’s luck has started petering out, and I find myself needing to up my game in design/construction (as opposed to patterning/decorating, but I need to up that as well…). So what titles are the gold standards of sheath making, and what are other unicorns that you’ve found? TIA

So now that we’ve covered the phx area, anyone in Tucson interested besides me?

Although it was an interview about music and production, I think it’s relevant in other art forms… (paraphrased) It’s easy to write complex music. It’s unique, different from everyone else. What’s difficult is to write simplistic music. Take rock, blues music. Some of the most iconic music is based off of basic 3-, 4-chord riffs, played with a skill to make them stand out from everyone else… Fantastic job

Thank you, this helps immensely!

MOD any chance we can make this a sticky? There seems to be some solid data and observations gathered through scientific method, both supporting and debunking various anecdotal hypotheses/practices, and I already see them being invaluable resources that I will continue to refer to. I know there were others contributing as well, but props to FredK. Have you by chance assembled a compendium of your research/experimentation? I also want to add in that the historical practices also have much to learn from. Again, I know others contributing to the conversation, but thank you Aventurine. Any particular go-to sources that you pull from? I love learning about the history and foundations of my various hobbies.

Thank you for your input! I have a 6oz and an 8oz belly strewn across my work room right now that’s been…inspiring my imagination? No that’s not quite right… I’ve been staring at them and they’re giving me the wild hair. The 8oz is just not quite enough to make a blacksmith’s apron, and the 6oz is too narrow for the job. Need to just break down and get myself a “real” side (Though I have been lucking out with the econo bellies, both of these were in the bin). But having now chased the squirrels off, a wrist brace would be the next most functional piece I can make myself. As far as plans/templates, (without having yet looked), I’m sure there are plenty out there, but what is your go-to source? Aaaaand the squirrels came back. With the disco ball. Does it seem odd that I have yet to see any <4oz pieces in the econo bin? Thank you again for constructive input. I don’t get much other than snide/back-handed responses from my other groups. This definitely seems to be a much more supportive community. Perhaps I’ll actually learn enough to sign up for my 2nd rodeo…

Ok not sure exactly where to post… My issue/question isn’t geared so much towards LARP as blacksmithing, but y’all might have a better answer: I’m thinking about a leather wrist brace that will help support my swing of the hammer. I know a lot of you have some really cool wrist pieces, but who has something that’s actually functional/supportive? And how should I go about fabricating it?

Beauty. Already in the mental Rolodex for inspiration!

I’m in very strong like!

Your stitches look smoother and straighter than my work…

So… fermented leather?

Gotta say, that wootz is beautiful, but your sheath is what catches my eye, and the knife just becomes an accessory. Awesome job!

If you really want me to critique it, the tooling isn’t up my alley, though I’m usually on the wrong side of the tracks… From a design/construction standpoint, it looks better than anything I’ve made myself thus far. And to be clear, I haven’t even attempted tooling. So keep it up! Show us more!

Ok I’m glad I took a 2nd look (ok, 4th…). I woulda sworn that I saw a double-bladed ax for a moment… I’m digging on those sheaths! Any chance for what looks like a nail-knocker on the one to the right? 1055– don’t mean to detract from your post, my axes are currently taking over priority from my knives, and I’m trying to wrap my head (and leather) around them too. Definitely looks functional, and for a first leather effort, that looks great! And Jim, I’ll be all over that tutorial! Still my first rodeo, even if it’s the 4H sheep roping at the county fair. Fine, I admit it, I’m the barrel clown for the sheep…

Dude. That… is awesome! So question: I try my hardest not to “steal” someone else’s ideas/designs for my own profit, so would you give me your blessing to use the concept for my side project? I think there could be at least a limited market here (I don’t even have a storefront, real or virtual, just setting a couple displays at 2 or 3 local businesses). But yeah, I really like it!

Having trouble dropping the resolution for some reason, but now dried, that’s the true color, didn’t bleed onto my fingertips at all handling and squeezing. Actually really happy with the results. I think I paid $3-4 for that bottle, and I used possibly 2Tbsp of it. Still need to see what happens if it get wet or oily, or how to gloss it up, but hey, ThisIsMyFirstRodeo

Experimenting with same idea. Plain old econo veg tan belly, just tossed in a ziplock baggy with a little bit of the dye, rubbed around for a couple seconds, kinda pressed excess off in the bag, and blotted with a paper towel rolling it across with my finger. This is just a simple crafting dye from hobby lobby. No clue what the effect will be, if it will hold, or if it will stain anything it touches. Anyone try RIT dye before? But I’ve never dyed leather before, just stained, usually with water or soda, or a sharpie, or you get the idea. Clearly I don’t know what I’m doing, but I’m happy to share my mistakes… er… technique development process. Yeah, I like that, technique development process… After all, This Is My First Rodeo

Found the kit on sale for less than the template, so I’m using it as the to make my own. Apparently, I’m out of card stock, so I decided I would just use it as a master. Definitely not as easy as you might think. Not difficult, but not as easy as it sounds. The key part I found was placing grain-to-grain, and using my green tape to keep it from moving. (career cook, habits all carry over…). Pretty decent results, at least can work with it… (center left). And before anyone gets too rankled by it, once I traced it, I pulled it off, leaving no damage or residue. I’m not really a fan of key fobs like the original with one side flesh and the other grain, so I’m also using it to make a fold-over. And before anyone tries to jump on me again, I know not to use ballpoint on the grain, these were all development, not product. Having taken the dimensions and hole punch placement, I discovered that the original is not a circular arc (far right). Although it probably designed from Sacred Geometry, I didn’t want to math any more than I had to, so went back to trying to spin it around. (This is where the tape really came in handy, actually). Again, not as easy as it first sounds… Even using a pair of awls to mark the holes and line up, it just wasn’t lining up. With my redneck engineering brain finally kicking in I drew a line on the belly, and a centerline on the master. Lo and Behold! (Bottom) Any, maybe I’m doing it right, maybe I’m doing it wrong. Just teaching myself along the way. This Is My First Rodeo, after all…

Clean your wood tools just like you would anything else wood. At the most basic, grab some mineral spirits and #000 steel wool and lightly scrub (always with grain) to break loose the surface. Go from there to 120g sandpaper LIGHTLY to remove the bulk, wipe down with spirits and clean tack cloth, move to 220g, wipe down with spirits and a NEW clean tack cloth. Probably ok to move on to 400g wet sandpaper, wiping down again, then 800g, 1000g, 1200g, 2000g. A lot of woodworkers will go to buffing wheels after 400g, and finish out from there, or stop at 1200g. Cocobolo though, can have such a great luster that I personally keep going as far as I can (I have pads out to 8000g). Personally, I keep going with stropping leathers, but that’s just my perfectionist ocd neuroses having their way with me… A key component with it is always use a clean rag between grits, and fresh water with each grit, otherwise the rougher particles will remain. If you already do any woodwork, sorry for my soapbox, and if anyone wants a refresher or to learn more, Woodworkers Source has some great resources. But, This Is My 1st Rodeo, after all…

I used a saddlemaker’s groover and a 4-prong 2mm diamond chisel She’s pretty awesome, I’m blessed to be sure.

A lot of 1sts here… 1st/2nd knife forged (threw a 2nd spike into the forge while working the 1st) 1st stitching something other than my hand (don’t ask, painful memories, har har) 1st leatherwork The knife is a gift for my daughter, so I’m building a sheath that matches the blade and her personality (still WIP, pics will come), but I needed something for the interim, so I made a simple water formed foldover sheath. Tandy’s econo veg tan belly, Hobby Lobby’s cheapest waxed stitching thread, and finished with mineral oil. Or camellia oil, not sure anymore. (Unmarked bottle with my knife kit…) Took a couple stitches to figure it out, but saddle stitch looks clean, seam feels tight. Really happy with how it came out, especially for my 1st piece. Had intended to utilize it as part of the finished project, but I just don’t want to cut the seam…